students as customers
I believe I have more than 1 customer. Granted my first and most imediate customer is my student. I need to nurish and develope my student so that they are employable and to the finish since my students will have to deal with the public my end customer is the public. I need to educate my students to progress first with knewledge then how to deal with customers
Our student are our customers as they are paying to be trained by the best of the best and thats what I try to give them everyday
Jeffrey,
What separates a "good" teacher or academic environment from 'the best" teacher or academic environment?
the students are the customers, and as cutomers they are paying for the knowledge and guidance in the direction that will help them become a good employee.
Joel,
How do you deal with the student who expects to be "passed along" simply because he is paying tuition?
As much as students are OUR customers. We are perparing them to be a usable product for the future customers they will service. We must meet them with an attitude of how can I give you the knowledge tools you will need and use to service thier customers in the future
Marvin,
You hit the nail on the head here. As "Edupreneurs," we have to think of the students as our customers and, in many ways, as our products. We have to treat them loke valued customers and make sure that they are worthy graduates who will represent what we do in the marketplace.
They are paying their tuition, but they are also paying for a service. If they don't accept the service they are paying for, ie: the education, they don't get to leave with it.
Well put, Donna. I think it's important to treat students as customers in SOME ways, but that it's equally crucial to maintain appropriate academic standards. From time to time, I encounter students who think (wrongly) along the lines of "since I'm paying for this class, I'd better get an A in it..." Yes, the student IS a customer, but not everyone deserves an A just because he/she pays the school.
Donna,
This is a challenge that is very common in career colleges. Our job is to put our student-customers in the best position to be successful. That usually means challenging them with attainable, but high standards. We may not make them all happy all the time, but they will eventually appreciate what we have done for them.
The trick is to always show them the respect that customers deserve while we are providing the educational experiences that students need.
I see the same issue with students sleeping, not showing up or spending time on their phone. They sometimes respond similarly, as in "I'm paying to be here, why can't I sleep, talk, etc." We need to make them realize that if they aren't here or paying attention, they are not getting what they payed for, or worse, may need to pay again when they fail the course.
The most successful advisors always try to bring the conversation back the the student's goals. They ask if this behavior is moving them toward or away from their goals.
If the behavior is getting in the way of the learning process for others, it becomes more than a goal issue. It becomes a respect for others issue we have to deal with.
I try to put things into perspective by explaining the importance of representing the institution as well as themselves. We had a class gradaute yesterday and we used them as an example for the upcoming graduating class. The "big shoes" to fill philosophy and challenging them to excel to the same standards of the previous class. We emphasized the positive characteristics and achievements of the graduates, such as: one studnet's perfect attendance, another student's completion of a second program, and the average GPA's of the class. I think this sets examples and the standards for the subsequent classes. The students realize how important it is, but they also see the admiration and respect the student's receive from the faculty.
Everybody around me (us) is my (our) customer. Some need more attention than others, some are colleagues, some from an other department, some may be future employers of the students.
All need to be treated with respect and dignity.
Any one who is paying for a service need to be treated with respect and this preson is called a customer and it does not matter if the person is a student
Randolph,
Than you for this post. We like to use the term "student-customer" when we talk about the individuals we serve in our schools. We think this term describes the unique needs of our students. They may not always be right, but they always need to be treated with the respect that all customers deserve.
I agree with your post. Just because they are paying for the education doesn't mean they should just be handed a diploma. They have to realize that they must work for it and it is our jobs along with other members of the staff to help them realize this. Once they do they will be a better consumer of services and a better customer.
Sometimes, in the daily grind of juggling work, family and school obligations, a few students lose sight of the fact that what they are paying for is our ability to plan and deliver experiences that will give them what they need to be successful after they leave us. It may take some gentle and not-so-gentle reminders from time to time.
We have to be able to get past the fact that alot of today's generation believes they are entitled to something. Try to get the focus back to what brought them to you in the first place. Remind them of that dream or vision they have for their future and help them realize that their hard work now will help them accomplish their goals and eventually realize that dream.
